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School Vaccine Information - Media
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has revised the immunization requirements for school-aged students effective August 2017. These regulations are intended to ensure that children attending school in the commonwealth are adequately protected against potential outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
PADOH School Immunizations
PA State Law and Regulations
Required Vaccinations for School (En Espanol)
School Immunization Rates
National
Kalyn Roberts – KYW News Radio
Montco officials update school immunization regulations (The Times Herald)
Nuevos Requisitos De Vacunas En Pennsylvania (Telemundo)
Highlights of the revision
- Changing the 8-month provisional period for immunizations with the new requirement of a 5-day provisional period. Prior to August 2017, a parent had 8 months to complete all required immunizations. This is called provisional enrollment.
- As of August 2017, a school-aged child must have all immunizations completed within the first 5 days of school. If the student is in the middle of a series and it is too soon for the next dose, the parents must provide the school nurse with a plan for immunizations (signed by a health care provider) within the first 5 days. If the student has incomplete immunizations and no medical plan, the student will be excluded from school.
- These requirements allow for the following exemptions: medical reasons, religious beliefs, or philosophical/strong moral or ethical conviction. If your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be removed from school during an outbreak.
- 4 doses of tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (1 dose on or after 4th birthday) (DTaP)
- 4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after
previous dose given) (IPV) - 2 doses of measles, mumps
and rubella (MMR) - 3 doses of hepatitis B (Hep B)
- 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of immunity (History of chickenpox or antibody titer)
- 1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap)
- 2
doses meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4)- First dose prior to entry into 7th grade
- A second dose is required at age 16 or prior to entry into 12th grade. If the student has already received the first dose after age 16, only one dose is required.
Resources
PADOH School Immunizations
PA State Law and Regulations
Required Vaccinations for School (En Espanol)
School Immunization Rates
Articles, Videos, Blogs, other news sources for Website and Social Media Posting
National
A 5-month-old baby got the measles — now her mom has a message for parents
"This is something that could have been prevented," mom Audrey Peine said.
8-month-old girl caught measles before she could get her MMR shot
Shira Goldschmidt, eight months, from Israel, contracted measles in December 2018 and suffered complications that left her hospitalized after she was infected by anti-vaxxers.
Mother shares ‘heartbreaking’ photos of baby girl with measles ‘to educate about vaccinations’
A mother has shared "heartbreaking" photographs of her baby girl suffering from measles, with the hope it will encourage more parents to vaccinate their children.
For cancer patients, fear of measles has upended daily routines
"Hand-washing is huge, but it's not going to save me from the measles," one leukemia survivor said. "I am freaked out by this."
Boy Who Wasn't Immunized For Tetanus Spent 57 Days In Oregon Hospital: NPR
Why Mandatory Vaccines are Critical, Visualized (Washington Post)
10 Things Parents Who Don’t Immunize Their Kids Should Know
Regional
PA Families Appear to Embrace Tougher School Vaccination Rules
New Law Requires Pennsylvania Students Be Immunized Within 5 Days of Start of School
New Vaccine Rules For Pennsylvania Students: What You Need to Know (Lower Providence Patch, 5/26/17)
New Pa. Health Rule: Get your Kids Vaccinated or They Can't Go To School (The Inquirer)
Catch up Vaccinations-New PA School Law Requirements (Action News)
New PA Vaccine Law - Official photo of Kristine Jones, Public Health Nurse, OPH with Bryant Greene on WURD Radio Show
Local
Temple Outbreak is National News
Kalyn Roberts (MCHD Public Health Nurse) with DiegoCostellanos
Facebook - MCIC"This is something that could have been prevented," mom Audrey Peine said.
8-month-old girl caught measles before she could get her MMR shot
Shira Goldschmidt, eight months, from Israel, contracted measles in December 2018 and suffered complications that left her hospitalized after she was infected by anti-vaxxers.
Mother shares ‘heartbreaking’ photos of baby girl with measles ‘to educate about vaccinations’
A mother has shared "heartbreaking" photographs of her baby girl suffering from measles, with the hope it will encourage more parents to vaccinate their children.
For cancer patients, fear of measles has upended daily routines
"Hand-washing is huge, but it's not going to save me from the measles," one leukemia survivor said. "I am freaked out by this."
Boy Who Wasn't Immunized For Tetanus Spent 57 Days In Oregon Hospital: NPR
Why Mandatory Vaccines are Critical, Visualized (Washington Post)
10 Things Parents Who Don’t Immunize Their Kids Should Know
Regional
PA Families Appear to Embrace Tougher School Vaccination Rules
New Law Requires Pennsylvania Students Be Immunized Within 5 Days of Start of School
New Vaccine Rules For Pennsylvania Students: What You Need to Know (Lower Providence Patch, 5/26/17)
New Pa. Health Rule: Get your Kids Vaccinated or They Can't Go To School (The Inquirer)
Catch up Vaccinations-New PA School Law Requirements (Action News)
New PA Vaccine Law - Official photo of Kristine Jones, Public Health Nurse, OPH with Bryant Greene on WURD Radio Show
Temple Outbreak is National News
Kalyn Roberts (MCHD Public Health Nurse) with Diego
Kalyn Roberts – KYW News Radio
Montco officials update school immunization regulations (The Times Herald)
Nuevos Requisitos De Vacunas En Pennsylvania (Telemundo)